Plate clamping mechanism



Feb. 13, 1940. A. J. HoRToN PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2, 1957y IN VEN TOR N bm,

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Feb 13, 1940- A. J. HoRToN y PLATE CLAMPING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1957 hv am mm um IIUIJIIII'III'IJJIIIIq Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES' f PATENT VOFFiClI HATECLMII;mwHlIsMly l Albert J. Horton, White Plains, N. Y., assigner to R.. Hoe & Co., Inc., New York, NLY., a corporation of Newl York l This invention relates to-plate clamping means for printing and like machines, andmorelparticularly to clamping mechanismI for engaging the straight edges of. plates used. for printing newspapers and similar matter that is printed at high speed.

yThe plate clamping mechanismV of thisinvention is particularly adapted and arranged to Lengage the straight edges of a-precurvedy plate mounted upon a form cylinder of a printingmaf chine and hold it closely thereagainst to prevent these edges frombowing outwardly away from the cylinder, due toV centrifugal'rforcapr other causes. The clamping mechanism herein disclosed includes a ,movable member, yforming part of a margin bar for the straight edge of a curved printing plate, and having an edge adapted to overhang the straightedgeto engage the same, biasing means adapted to constantlyI a0 urge the member into engagement With/the edge,

and one or more fixed members adapted' toengage and hold the oppositestraight edge of the' pla e. I One object of this invention' is to provide'v an. u improved plate clamping mechanism of the above nature. y 1 f 'f Another object is to-provide` in plate claimiing mechanisml of the above nature, a member in' engagement with a straight edge of a. curved plate, biasing means arranged to constantly urge the member into such engagement yvviththe plate, whereby' the plate will be held rmly against the surface of the cylinder uponv ywhich it, is' mounted, and a fixed member against which u, the opposite edge of the platey abuts.

' Another object is to provide a plate clamping mechanism having a biased movable member and a fixed member arranged to engage oppo' site straight edgesof a curved plate on a formk y cylinder and including-the' feature that `thebiasecl movable member is reversible in accordance with the direction of rotation of the cylinder;

It is also an object of this Ainvention to prof vide 'a plate clamping'fmechanism lof. generallyy improved constructiomwhereby the device will: be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well'asl convenient, practical, serviceable vand efficient in its use. l With .the foregoing and; otherobjects in view, which will appear as the description. proceeds,y the invention resides in the `combination and. arrangement of parts,and infthe details of construction hereinafterjdescribed and claimed.

Two embodiments of this inventionareillus- 55. trated in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

' Figure;

.Figure 8; and

line IIL-I0 of Figure 8. The featuresvand principles of Figuresl'isa face view-of a `form cylinder of a printing machine,- with plate clamping means embodying the featuresand principles of this invention associated therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-section of the 5 cylinder taken online 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged broken planview ci f the movable and fixed .plate clamping members; Fgurel is a section taken on line 4--4 of lo Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 vof Figure 3; I'

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectiontaken on line 6--6 of Figure 3;

Figure'? is an enlarged cross-section of the 15 cylinder shown in Figure 1 and showing a somewhat lmodiiiedform of plate clamping mecha- Figure 8 is an enlarged broken plan view of the vmovable and iixedvplate clamping members ofl they-form showninFiglllTe '7; l

Figure 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 10` 's a vlongitudinal section `taken on this inventiony being. especially adapted for associationwith the. form cylinder of a printing machine, the drawings illustrateA a form cylinder II having shaft ends IZvand I3'extendingfrom its ends whereby 30::A it.- may be journaled invsuitable supports (not shown) and be rotated to perform its usual functionvin combination with the other mechanism of the printing machine. The cylinder I I as shown,

is adapted to have a plurality of stereotype .or 3g;-y

other precurved substantiallysemi-cylindrical.

.printing plates I4-mounted thereon and is provided. with the usual-curved edge clampingl and locating members I5. The plates I4 generally extend. peripherallyabout the cylinder II and 40 have the straight edges Iliand I'I of one plate spaced.from,rand in opposed relation to, the edges I6.. and I 1. of anotherv plate.

Th'efclamping members I5 impose a cross pressure uponV the plates vI4 and the rapid rotation 45 of. thexcylinder -I I. ydevelops centrifugal force., bothfofA which forcestend to bulge the section ofthe .plate I4 between its curved edges I8v and I9. away. from the cylinder. This bulging tend-y encyis greatest at the center of the straight-50- edges I6 and Il of the plates I4, for the central portions 2| oi theplate are inherently stirlenedv due to their arcuate form. Thisinvention provides meansV to. counteract this bulging tendency by theprovision of .a fixed. plate edge engaging 55. f

member, or members 22, and a biased movable plate edge engaging .member 23 adapted to respectively engage the opposite straight edges I6 and I1 of the plate I4.

The fixed members 22 have their base portion t 24 disposed in diametrically opposite longitudinally extending slots 25 formed in the periphery of the cylinder II between the spaced apart and I1 of each plate. The members 22y varefix7 edly secured to the cylinder II by screws 29 Aand with the movable members 23 provide a margin bar arrangement between the opposing plate, edges I6 and I1. The abutting surfaces 3| and i 1 ngmembers- 48 are provided with oppositely dis 32 of the shoulder 21 or 28 and the ange ,26" respectively are slightly inclined whereby should theybe pressed toward each other, the contact therebetween will increasingly tighten.

In the form sho-wn in Figures 2-6r inclusive, the movable members 23 have a base portion 33,` and a iiange 34 extends laterallyfrom an upper edge of the base portion in position to overlieone of the pair of shoulders 21 and 28 of the plates I4, the surface 35 abutting the shoulder surface of the respective edge being correspondingly inclined. The base portions 33 of diametrically opposite members extend into the respectiveslots 25 inthe cylinder II and aresllightly narrower in width than the width of the slot. A pair of rods 36 are secured at each of their ends to each ofthe members 23 by a screw 31 and pass through a hole 38 formed in the cylinder VI I, the holes'38 being of larger `diameter thanjthe rods 36 and extending from and between the diametrically opposite slots 25. l'

The fiange 34 of opposite movable members' 23 are shown in position to overlie theV shoulder 28 of opposite plates respectively and are constantly biased toward the respective plate ,straight edge I1 by springs 39 disposed in counterbores"4I-- formed in the side surface 42 of the base portion 3 33. The springs 39 react between the bottomy of the counterbores 4I and the adjacent side-sur# face 43 of the slot 25. In lorder to obtain thel results desired, the members 23 are 1assembled in the cylinder II with theiriianges 34 directedn reversely to the direction of rotation of the cylin# der, asfshown in Figure 2, so that the springs 39 will bias the flanges 34 circumferentially-about the cylinder II over the shoulders 2,8.

rIt will be observed from the arrow 'in Figure 2 which indicates the direction of'rotation, thatl the arrangement is such' that the leadingedge ofl .each plate is engaged preferably by a movable" clamping member, and the trailing'edge by fixed lclamping members, Whena plate is placed'on, the cylinder, the spring pressure exerted bythe` movable clamping member tends to pushl thev plate around the cylinder into 'rmengagement with the fixed vclamping member. Furthermore, when the machine is started` and When it is desired to'reverse the direction of the printingy plate engages the impression cylinder, the rollingy rotation of the cylinder, the members 22 and 23 are disconnected from the cylinder and the rods 31 respectively, `and removed from the slots '25 and reversed, to direct the plate engaging flanges of each member sothat the iiange 26 on the fixed member 22 will be directed with, and the flangel 34 of the movable member 23 will be directed ref verselyto, thedesired direction of cylinder rotation.

In the form shown in Figures 7-10 inclusive,

.'fjthe straight edge clamping members 41 and 48 corresponding to the members 22 and 23 respectively of previously described form, are each provided with flanges on both sides to simplify the operation of preparing the cylinder for ro- -tation inthe opposite direction. The fixed members 41 arey provided with oppositely directed anges 49 "and'5l and the movable plate engagposed fianges 52 and 53 and are joined together by rods 54 which correspond to the rods '36 of the form previously described.

`The base portion 550i each member 48 is cut away to provide a transverse slot 56 therethrough in' which o-ppositely facing bowed leaf springs 51 and 58 are disposed, the ends of which springs eri--` gage the opposite side faces 59 and 6I of the slots 51 and`58respectively, and which'are arranged at differing 'radial distances fromy the axis of thec'ylindrical ends 64 and 65. The surface 61,

being at the greater radial distance, compresses the spring I51, as: shown in Figure 8, and biases the'member 48 downward, and the iiattened side e 61 prevents the postk from being inadvertently turned.

'Whenever itis desired to reverse the direction" of rotation of the cylinder, the members 4i! need not be'disconnected fromv the rods 54 vin order to reverse the direction in which the members are biased, as required in the previous form in respect tothe members' 23, and the members 41j need not be removed f from the cylinder and reversed 'as required of Athe members 22.

in misi form, all that itis necessary to do in order to reverse the direction in which the members 4 8;4 are biased, so that itv will be reverse to the direction of rotation of the cylinder II, is vto turn the post 63`so that the proper spring 51 or 5,3 v

is compressed and tensi'oned. When one spring 51 or 5,8 is made operative by being so lcompressed and tensioned, the other is relieved lof tension 69, which will cooperate With the slot 66 to simulate an' arrow as shown in Figure 8,`may be provided on the upper end of the post 63 to indi-cate, by pointing yin the direction of the rotation of the cylinder, which springI 51 or 58 isin operative position. In all other respects, the members 48 operate in cooperationwith. the fixed members l 41- '"as do theI members v23 in "respect to the memlindrical plates; as for instance, arrangements inwhiclrtherefare four 'plates'in line around thecyliridel". 'I

. 6U?"v and is therefore inoperative. Indicating marks 'Itfwill" be understood that the: finvention may be embodied inother specicg. lforms :without: departing from the spiritfor=;.essential attributes thereof, andV it is therefore'desired that the, pres-` entf embodiment `be 'considered in. all Arespectsfas illustrative and not restrictive,` andnitpwill be further :understood that each and every novel -feature and combination present incr possessedrby the means herein disclosed forms a 4partof the .invention included in this application.

What I claimis:

Al'.- In a plate clamping'mechanism adapted-to engage the straightv edges. of la pair of substantially cylindrical-plates to hold the platesriirmly against the surfaceof a cylnder,` a;pair of xed members spaced apart circumferentially of. the cylinder,f'one clampingly engaging one straight edge of leach plate, a pair. of; movable' members spaced apart circumferentially ofjthe cylinder,`

one clampingly engaging the .otherfstra'ight .edge 1 of each plate, means passing through the cylin-z der to connect said movable members, and means to bias each of the movable members to constantly urge them circumferentially about the cylinder and into engagement with the plate.

2. In a form cylinder for a printing machine v adapted to print from precurved printing plates,

plate clamps adapted to engage the curved edges of the plate, a xed clamp adapted to engage a straight edge of the plate, a movable clamp adapted to engage the oppositestraight edge of.

inder, and the other clamp being adapted to en-r gage the leading straight edgeA of the other plate, a member connecting said clamps together, and means to bias each clamp circumferentially about the cylinder toward the Ileading edge engaged thereby.

' 4. In a plate clamping mechanism for holding curved plates on a cylinder, a member mounted on the cylinder between adjacent straight edges of adjacent plates for movement circumferentially aboutthe cylinder in either direction, and

means arranged to be selectively tension'ed to bias a the member in either direction of its movement.v

5. In a plate clamping mechanism for the straight edges of avpair of curved plates on and spaced about a cylinder,`a fixed stop for one straight edge of each plate, movable clamping f members each having a flange adapted to overlie a portion of the other straight edge of each plate, a member connecting saidmovable members, and

means to bias each of said clamping members tof Ward the straight edge said flange of each member overlies.

6. In a plate clamping lmechanism for the straight edges of a pair of curved plates on and spaced about a cylinder, a-xed stop for one straight edgey of each plate, movable clamping.

members each having aflange adapted to overlie a portion of the other straight edge of each plate, cooperating inclined surfaces between each of the ilanges and the underlying portion of the plate edge whereby the plate edge will be forced toward the cylinder surface whenthe clamping member is moved toward the edge, a member connecting said movable members, and means to bias each of said clamping members toward the straight edge said flange of each member overlies..

7. `vIn;` afplatel clamping-mechanism for the= adjacent spaced apart straight `edges of apair of precurved plates -on a cylinder,a fixed stop disposed between the adjacent *straightedges, a movable clamping member disposed between and having flanges adapted to overlie a portion of the adjacent straight edges, and means adapted to be brought into operative condition toselectively bias said clamping member Vtoward either of the adjacent plate-edges. o 1 8. Iny combination'a cylinder, a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical precurved plates on said cylinder with their adjacent-straight edges spaced apart on opposite sides of the cylinder, a fixedV clamping member between eachpair of spaced apart straight edges and adapted to engage the trailing edge of'one plate, a movable clamping member between each pair of spaced apart straight edges, each of said movable members having. a flange adapted to engagingly overly to the axis thereof and connecting said movable members, and means to bias said movable members lto force said anges thereon into engagement with the plate edges whichthey overlie.

9. In combination, a cylinder, substantially semi-cylindrical precurved plates on said cylinder with their adjacent straight edges spaced apart a `spaced'apart straight edges, each of said movable.

clamping members having oppositely directed ilanges adapted to overlie a portion of the adjacent edges of the plates, a `member passing through the cylinder and Iconnecting the said movable clamping members, and means to bias said movable members to selectively force the flanges into engagement with a plate edge.

10. In a plate clamping mechanism, a movable plate clamp adapted to be disposed between spaced apart plate edges and to be selectively moved into engagement with each edge,l springs oppositely operative lto bias the rclamp toward each edge, and means to selectively make one of said springs operative and the other inoperative. l

11. In a form cylinder for a printingmachine adapted to print from a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical printing plates disposed circum- -cumferentially 4of said cylinder each adapted to engage a secondstraight edge of one of said plates and resiliently biased into engagementtherewith. i12. In a form cylinder for a printing machine ferentially about the cylinder, longitudinally movable plate clamps adapted to engage the curved edges of each plate, fixed clamps each adapted to engage a first straight edge of a plate,

a pair of connected clamps movable on said cyl-y inder on an arc substantially parallel to the circumference thereof, each clamp being'adapted to engage a second straight edge of a plate, andv resilient means to bias themovable clamps circumferentially about the cylinder and against the straight edges of the plates.

13.' In a plate clamping mechanism adapted'to engage the straight edges of y curved printing plates oppositely disposed about and mounted on a cylinder and hold the same thereon, a plate edge engaging member for one of the straight edges'of each plate, means passing through the cylinder transversely of its axis to connect the members engaging the edges of different plates, means to resiliently urge said members into plate edge engagement, and means fixed to the cylinder to engage the other edge of each plate.

14. In a clamping mechanism adapted to engage the straight edges of curved printing plates oppositely disposed about and mounted on a cylinder'and hold the` same thereon, a plate edge engaging member for `one of the straight edges of each plate, a rod passing through the cylinder and having one of said members detachably secured thereto at each of its ends to connect the members together, means resiliently acting against each member to urge it into plate edge engagement,`and means iixedvtoV the cylinder 'to engage the other edge ofeach plate.;

15."In a plate'clamping. mechanism for hold#l ing curved plates lony a cylinder, a pair of memplate vengaging position," and'means extending.rv transversely through thelcylinder and co `ect-A ing said members together.

16. In a plate clamping mechanism for vhold'-` ing curved plates on a cylindenfa pair of members fixed on said cylinder to engage the trailingedges of a pair of plates, a pair of memberseachA mounted on the cylinder and movable on 'an' arck substantially parallel to the circumference of the cylinder into engagement "with the leading' edges of the plates, rods extending transverselyv through the cylinder and Connecting `said movable members, and means to bias said movable members to clamp the plates. n t AILEJ'RT J. HORTON. 

